Travelling with Cats

[rodsterinfl]

My cat cries in the cage. When I let her out she is content. She sits on the center arm rest next to me and is happy. She would not do well alone in the back.

[Morgan guy]

Originally Posted by PDXRick

We have been on the road for 6 weeks with our 2014 27FB Signature.

First of all, I totally agree with those who say to take them with you in the tow vehicle. A couple of weeks on the road we transported them in the trailer for three hours as a trial. They were freaked for two days. Never again!!

Secondly, our trailer, and maybe others, have a feature that is not advertised. There is a decorative little arch across from the door under the seat. It looks like a nice little feature, but is in reality, a cat portal. When our girls discovered it, they immediate disappeared into the woodwork. After a while, lured by cat treats, they emerged. The problem now is that they LOVE to go into this special place. We have tried stuffing pillows and putting boxes in front of it, but they always figure out how to weasel their way in. Eventually I will permanently block it. But for now, we are letting them have their fun.

I'm thinking by letting you know this little secret, you can be proactive in blocking this portal before they get a chance to discover it.

Other than that little glitch, our two former outdoor cats have adapted nicely to being indoor streaming cats.

That little portal you mention in your 27FB is the air intake for the furnace so be careful blocking it when you are going to use the furnace.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Morgan guy

That little portal you mention in your 27FB is the air intake for the furnace so be careful blocking it when you are going to use the furnace.

I cut a small strip of hardware cloth and fastened it over the furnace inlet. It lets plenty of air go through, but keeps our cats out. The mesh can not be seen unless I lay down on the floor and look under the cabinet.

[PDXRick]

I ended up blocking the air vent pipe, but let them go "into the woodwork" when they are afraid. I cut a couple of access holes under the pad, so can just reach in and pull them out if we need to.
Six months on the road now, and they are pretty much mellow about the whole thing. Still, everyone needs a little alone time from time to time.

[kb0zke]

Our cat has been traveling with us since we got her. She had an hour ride home, so she got used to the cat kennel. We are full-timers with a MH, so her kennel is usually up front by us. As soon as I start the Detroit she heads into the kennel.

If/when we switch to an Airstream her kennel will be in the back seat of the truck while we're driving. We'll carry it into the Airstream when we stop for lunch, then carry it back when we continue down the road. Yes, it is buckled in. Unfortunately, we can't buckle it in in the MH.

[Pahaska]

I lost my best traveling cat to cancer early this year. I replaced her with a Pixie-Bob kitten who is now 15 weeks old. The Pixie-bob breed of cats are known as "dog cats" who like to travel and walk on the leash. So far, she shows great promise. She has been to one Airstream rally with us and traveled quite well. At the rally, she was held or petted by many friends and she is not people-shy.

I take the kitten with me in the car frequently to do errands and I have her wear a harness part of each day to get used to it. The harness, although the smallest available size, is still a bit large for her

As soon as the harness fits well enough, I will start her walking on the leash. I have a long paved driveway and she can go with me daily to pick up the newspaper.

[SeeMore]

Originally Posted by mrprez

Does California let you do anything?

Yes, California has a law that states underage drinkers cannot be prosecuted if they seek medical help for a friend who is dangerously inebriated.

Be sure to share that nugget with kids.

[Silver Otter]

This is a nice thread. Thanks, Paula, for the Ice Cream idea. Now, do any of you use a litter box inside the AS for during the night?

[AWCHIEF]

Litter box stays in the shower. Easy to clean and not under foot. Remove and set on top of toilet when the shower is being used by humans. My cat is a strictly indoor kitty so a convenient 24/7 box is necessary.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by Silver Otter

This is a nice thread. Thanks, Paula, for the Ice Cream idea. Now, do any of you use a litter box inside the AS for during the night?

We have a top-entry litter box in the bathroom permanently. we have the walk-thru bathroom and there is plenty of space and it is not in the way. I just need to move it temporarily to use the shower.

We have the the 3 cats and I scoop the litter box morning, noon, and night. When we stop for a break on the road, the 3 cats line up to use the box. They are very polite about it.

[gaylejoe]

We travel with 2 female cats 10 and 16. The 10 year old has cancer. Both are excellent travelers who ride in the tow vehicle. In the trailer both sleep on the bed day and night. Would think about putting them inside the trailer while moving. Litter boxes are under the foot of our 25FB. We do not leave home without 2 beloved extend family members. We hope to have them with us for another year so we can shower them with more love.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Litter box stays in the shower. Easy to clean and not under foot. Remove and set on top of toilet when the shower is being used by humans. My cat is a strictly indoor kitty so a convenient 24/7 box is necessary.

I had the box in the shower in my previous Airstream (25 Classic). I was warned to only use organic litter rather than the usual clay litter. Some litter is invariably going to be tracked and organic litter will never collect and clog the tanks like clay litter will.

[firstwave]

Just found out my 14 year old cat named Mouse is diabetic and will need 2 insulin shots a day. He has never traveled with us and does not like even a short trip to the vet. In the future we will either have to stay home or turn him into a camping cat. I'm hoping even at his age he can adjust.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by Pahaska

I had the box in the shower in my previous Airstream (25 Classic). I was warned to only use organic litter rather than the usual clay litter. Some litter is invariably going to be tracked and organic litter will never collect and clog the tanks like clay litter will.

I use a 100% organic and biodegradable litter made from corn. It is called "Worlds Best Cat Litter". At home after scooping it gets flushed down the toilet. I would never consider doing that in the trailer. I keep a plug in the shower drain and a piece of carpet cut oversized to line the shower pan. It gets scooped several times in a 24 hour period and replaced with clean litter as necessary. Of course some still makes it out of the shower but that is normal with any litter. I keep a portable vacuum handy to suck up the offending bits.

[Pahaska]

Same litter I use, both at home and in the trailer.

[CaddyGrn]

We have a new kitty we are just introducing to riding in the car and going with us in our trailer. We will be making our first camping trip soon. We have had cats that have been excellent travelers and others that hate it... so we are hoping she will learn to enjoy our journeys! A word on kittys that don't like traveling and howl.... I had a vet that told me to give my full size male cat 1/4 of a Dramamine tablet.... it really made the difference. But, this was years ago, so I would check with your vet before trying this!

We use a cat carrier in the car, just in case the cat doesn't freak out with something and jump in front of us while driving!

My husband has made a temporary "loft" for our kitty we will be trying out when we are stopped and camping.

It is nice to have the "whole" family along!

[Airjeep]

Our cat prefers the tow vehicle. We have let him travel in the trailer. It is very bumpy and noisy while moving and frightens him. He hides under the bed. Usually when we stop to eat and have a bathroom break he jumps from the Jeep, runs to the trailer stairs to join us in the trailer to take the same breaks.

[mkr1950]

We have two cats that are toilet trained. It was a lot of work to get them comfortable with it but now they are really good about it. Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for us? We pick up our new 26u in a couple weeks and it uses a macerator toilet. We are hoping to keep a little bit of water in the bowl while parked camping. When the cats go, it's nice to have their waste get covered with water since it helps keep the smell down until flushed. But I have to tell you, it is a wonderful way to deal with cat waste and not have litter to bother with. Thoughts?

Mike R

[rmkrum]

Heh, wish it was possible to train dogs like that!

I've seen videos of that and it's very cool. Congratulations on accomplishing that!


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[Kittyfeet]

We went all over the country with our two cats. They love looking out the windows at the campground. Spend hours. They ride in the TV, one the entire time in my wife's lap under a little blanket with her nose sticking out to get air and the other sits on the console. Would not be a fun trip without the "girls". One is so smart and watches everything we do and has learned to open the door. Have to be sure it is always locked. One caution as it has happened to us on more than one occasion, if you make a short pit stop and get out of the TV and leave them in it, they might be looking for you and step on the door locks. The first time they did that, i had left the key in the TV but luckily had onstar so was able to have it unlocked. Towing with a Ford now, no onstar but have a combination lock on the outside. They are so funny, find their little places that are theirs just like at home. They can be really fun.